Liquid turbine engine

ABSTRACT

A liquid turbine engine is described having a rotor mounted in a stator in which traversing spiral grooves are formed in cylindrical surfaces of the stator and rotor to receive a liquid from a high pressure manifold and to transfer the momentum of the liquid as it flows through the grooves to the rotor to cause the rotor to rotate. The high pressure liquid is generated by injecting a high pressure vapor of the liquid into a high pressure vessel containing the liquid to force the liquid under pressure into the high pressure manifold. A vapor injector is utilized to pump the liquid into the high pressure vessel.

[mite States atent Hasen Sept. 5, 1972 LIQUID TURBINE ENGINE [72] Inventor: Willard Glen Hasen, 426 E. Brown [hammer-"Edgar Geoghegan Ave., Moses Lake, Wash. 98837 AttorneyWells, St. John & Roberts [22] Filed: April 1, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 130,091 A liquid turbine engine is described having a rotor mounted in a stator in which traversing spiral grooves [52] U S Cl 60/56 60/36 60/59T are formed in cylindrical surfaces of the stator and [51] Folk 7/22 rotor to receive a liquid from a high pressure manifold [58] Fie'ld T 54 and to transfer the momentum of the liquid asit flows 3 2 through the grooves to the rotor to cause the rotor to rotate. The high pressure liquid is generated by injecting a high pressure vapor of the liquid into a high pres- [56] References Clted sure vessel containing the liquid to force the liquid UNITED STATES PA S under pressure into the high pressure manifold. A 767 671 8/1904 w 60/55 Ux vapor injector is utilized to pump the liquid into the lesner h ressu vesseL 1,149,938 8/1915 Nagelvoort ..60/54 ux lg p re 2,632,995 3/1953 Noe ..60/36 UX 5 Claims,.7 Drawing Figures I so 5 PATENTEBSEP 51912 3.688.502 sum 1 o 2 Fla:

LIQUID TURBINE ENGINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to liquid turbine engines and more particularly to liquid turbine engines capable of driving vehicles, especially automobiles.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a liquid turbine engine in which the liquid is maintained in a closed circuit with little or no emissions to the atmosphere causing pollution.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a liquid turbine engine that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and to maintain.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid turbine engine having an efficient means of transferring energy to provide a direct liquid coupling to the output shaft of the engine.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a liquid turbine engine that is very smooth and direct in operation and can be easily controlled.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid turbine engine that is driven utilizing liquid under pressure with as few working parts as possible.

These and other objects and advantage of this invention will become apparent upon the reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic view of a liquid turbine engine embodying the principal features of this invention; in which a turbine is shown in longitudinal cross section illustrating a rotor mounted in a stator;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a vapor injector which is utilized as a principal component of the engine illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isolated side view of the rotor illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section of the stator illustrated in FIG. 1 with the rotor removed showing an internal surface of the stator; and

FIGS. 5-7 are vertical transverse cross-sectional views taken along line 5-5, 66 and 77 respectively in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown in schematic a liquid turbine engine generally identified by the numeral 10. One of the basic components of the liquid turbine engine is a turbine 11. Other important components include a liquid high pressure vessel 12 and a vapor generator 13. Included as a complementary component to the engine is a liquid storage vessel 15 for storing the liquid that is utilized in driving the turbine 11.

The liquid high pressure vessel 12 is connected to the turbine 11 through a line 16. The vapor generator 13 is connected to the high pressure vessel 12 through line 17. The liquid storage vessel 15 is connected to the turbine through line 48.

The turbine 11 is quite compact and lightweight having a casing 20 with a cylindrically shaped cavity 21 formed therein to form a stator 22 having a cylindrical wall 23. A rotor 24 having a cylindrical shape is rotatably mounted in cylindrical cavity 21. The rotor 24 has a stub shaft 25 that extends from one end thereof and an output shaft 26 extending from the other end through the casing for connection to a drive train. The rotor is rotatably supported by bearings 27 and 28 adjacent respective ends. Seals 30 are mounted in the stator engaging the shafts 25 and 26 for preventing the flow of liquid along the shafts.

The rotor 24 has a cylindrical surface 32 that is complementary to the cylindrical wall 23. The turbine is constructed with a very small tolerance between the cylindrical wall 23 and the cylindrical surface 32 to prevent liquid from flowing therebetween. Spiral grooves 33 are formed in the cylindrical surface 32 evolving in one rotational direction from end 34 to end 35. The spiral grooves 33 are evenly spaced on the cylindrical surface and have curved walls 36 that form a semi-circle in cross section. The cross section of each spiral groove 33 increases proportionally from end 34 to end 35 to be able to carry proportionally larger amounts of liquid.

Spiral grooves 37 (FIGS. 4-7). are formed in the cylindrical wall 22 in which the spiral grooves 37 evolve in the opposite rotational direction to the spiral grooves 33 to traverse the rotor grooves 33. Sprial grooves 37 extend from end 38 of the cylindrical wall 23 to end 40. The spiral grooves 33 and 37 evolve in opposite rotational directions so that the grooves traverse each other at intersecting angles. In a preferred embodiment the grooves traverse each other at right angles. Each spiral groove 37 has a curved wall 41 and a cross section that progressively decreases as the groove evolves from end 38 to end 40 to progressively decrease the amount of liquidit can carry.

The casing of the turbine has a high pressure inlet manifold 43 adjacent the end 38. The manifold 43 has a circular channel 44 that extends about the casing communicating with the spiral grooves 37 at the end 38.

The casing 20 also includes a low pressure outlet manifold 46 adjacent the end 40 that communicates with the spiral grooves 33 at the end 35 to enable the liquid to flow from the rotor out the outlet manifold 46. Line 16 is connected to the high pressure inlet manifold 43 and the line 18 is connected to the low pressure outlet manifold 46.

The liquid storage vessel 15 has an outlet liquid line 48 that extends through a heat exchanger 50 to a vapor injector 51. The heat exchanger reduces or maintains the temperature of the liquid at a temperature substantially below the vaporization temperature of the liquid. For a water system, the heat exchanger 50 reduces the temperature of the water below F. to render the vapor injector 51 effective. An input liquid line 52 extends from the vapor injector 51 to the high pressure vessel 12. A vapor line 53 extends from the vapor generator 13 to the vapor injector 51 to supply vapor to the vapor injector to pump the liquid from the liquid storage vessel 15 into the high pressure vessel 12.

Details of the vapor injector 51 are illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the vapor injector 51 has a housing 55. A vapor nozzle 56 is mounted in the housing 55 communicating with the vapor line 53. As the vapor passes through the vapor nozzle 56 it is accelerated to a high velocity and is directed through a suction nozzle 57.

The housing 55 contains a liquid manifold 58 communicating with the liquid line 48. As the vapor is discharged at a high velocity through the suction nozzle 57, a vacuum is created in the manifold 58 to draw the liquid through the line 48 and into the suction nozzle. As the liquid comes in contact with the vapor, the vapor is condensed to create a vacuum downstream of the vapor nozzle 56 to draw the vapor through the vapor line 53. The accelerated vapor forces the liquid through the suction nozzle and through a delivery tube 60 that is communicating with the input liquid line 5 2 to push the liquid into the high pressure vessel 12 at the pressure level contained therein. It should be noted that the vapor injector has no moving parts and can be easily maintained. If water is used as the liquid it has been found that the injector 51 is capable of discharging water into the high pressure vessel having a pressure between 40 and 60 psig greater than the pressure of the stream passing to the vapor injector.

For a water driven turbine engine, steam is generated in the vapor generator 13 and injected into the high pressure vessel 12 at a sufficiently high pressure to direct water contained in the high pressure 12 through line 16 at a pressure of between 150 and 300 psig. The water passes into the high pressure manifold 43 where it is distributed into one end of the stator grooves 37. As the water flows along the grooves 37, it is progressively diverted into the traversing rotor grooves 33 to transfer the momentum of the water to the rotor to rotate the rotor about its axis.

Since the grooves 37 progressively decrease in cross section and the grooves 33 progressively increase in cross-section, the water is progressively transferred from the grooves 37 to the grooves 33 as it flows through the turbine.

By the time the water has reached the low pressure manifold 46 it has been reduced to a pressure slightly above atmosphere to enable the water to flow from the low pressure manifold 46 through line 18 to the vented storage vessel 15.

To pump the water from the storage vessel to the high pressure vessel 12, steam from the vapor generator 13 is directed into the vapor injector 51.to effectively pump the water. Water for the vapor generator may be supplied form the storage vessel 15.

Various other noncompressible fluids may be utilized in place of water depending upon the application.

In view of the above described embodiment, one can appreciate the simplicity of design and operation of the applicants invention.

It should be understood that the above described embodiment is simply illustrative of the principles of this invention and that numerous other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the an without deviating therefrom. Therefore, only the following claims are intended to define this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid turbine engine comprising:

an engine casing;

a rotor rotatably mounted in the casing for rotation about an axis; said rotor having an outer cylindrical surface coaxial with the axis; said rotor cylindrical surface having a plurality of spiral grooves formed therein evolving in one rotational direction; I said casing having a stator enclosing the rotor m which the stator has an inner cylindrical surface in close tolerance with and complementary to the rotor cylindrical surface;

said stator cylindrical surface having a plurality of spiral grooves formed thereon evolving in the opposite rotational direction traversing the rotor surface grooves;

said casing having a high pressure liquid inlet manifold formed therein communicating with the stator grooves adjacent one end of the rotor;

said casing having a lower pressure liquid outlet manifold formed therein communicating with the rotor grooves adjacent the other end of the rotor; and

means for supplying a liquid at high pressure into the high pressure liquid inlet manifold to force the liquid along the stator and rotor grooves to the low pressure liquid outlet manifold to transfer the momentum of the liquid to the rotor thereby rotating the rotor about the axis.

2. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 1 wherein the spiral stator grooves traverse the rotor spiral grooves at substantially right angles.

3. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross sections of the stator spiral grooves progressively decrease from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold and the cross sections of the rotor spiral grooves progressively increase from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold to progressively transfer the liquid from the stator spiral grooves to the rotor spiral grooves as the liquid flows from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold.

4. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 3 wherein the high pressure liquid supply means includes a high pressure liquid vessel containing a liquid and a vaporizing means for injecting a vapor of the liquid into the high pressure liquid vessel to force the liquid at a high pressure into the inlet manifold.

5. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 3 further comprising a liquid storage vessel for receiving the liquid from the low pressure outlet manifold and for providing a source of liquid to the high pressure liquid vessel and further comprising a vapor injector operatively connected between the liquid storage vessel and the high pressure liquid vessel for receiving vapor from the vaporizing means and for accelerating the vapor through a nozzle to contact the liquid and pump tee liquid from the liquid storage vessel to the high pressure liquid vessel.

Patent No. 3 ,688 ,502

Invent0r(s) Willard Glen Hansen It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [72] "Willard Glen Hasen" should read Willard Glen Hansen Y Signed and sealed this 20th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. 7 ROBERT GOTT SCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM (0459) uscoMM-oc scene-ps9 Y UIS. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2 I969 O366-334,/\ 

1. A liquid turbine engine comprising: an engine casing; a rotor rotatably mounted in the casing for rotation about an axis; said rotor having an outer cylindrical surface coaxial with the axis; said rotor cylindrical surface having a plurality of spiral grooves formed therein evolving in one rotational direction; said casing having a stator enclosing the rotor in which the stator has an inner cylindrical surface in close tolerance with and complementary to the rotor cylindrical surface; said stator cylindrical surface having a plurality of spiral grooves formed thereon evolving in the opposite rotational direction traversing the rotor surface grooves; said casing having a high pressure liquid inlet manifold formed therein communicating with the stator grooves adjacent one end of the rotor; said casing having a lower pressure liquid outlet manifold formed therein communicating with the rotor grooves adjacent the other end of the rotor; and means for supplying a liquid at high pressure into the high pressure liquid inlet manifold to force the liquid along the stator and rotor grooves to the low pressure liquid outlet manifold to transfer the momentum of the liquid to the rotor thereby rotating the rotor about the axis.
 2. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 1 wherein the spiral stator grooves traverse the rotor spiral grooves at substantially right angles.
 3. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross sections of the stator spiral grooves progressively decrease from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold and the Cross sections of the rotor spiral grooves progressively increase from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold to progressively transfer the liquid from the stator spiral grooves to the rotor spiral grooves as the liquid flows from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold.
 4. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 3 wherein the high pressure liquid supply means includes a high pressure liquid vessel containing a liquid and a vaporizing means for injecting a vapor of the liquid into the high pressure liquid vessel to force the liquid at a high pressure into the inlet manifold.
 5. A liquid turbine engine as defined in claim 3 further comprising a liquid storage vessel for receiving the liquid from the low pressure outlet manifold and for providing a source of liquid to the high pressure liquid vessel and further comprising a vapor injector operatively connected between the liquid storage vessel and the high pressure liquid vessel for receiving vapor from the vaporizing means and for accelerating the vapor through a nozzle to contact the liquid and pump tee liquid from the liquid storage vessel to the high pressure liquid vessel. 